MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Burundi has issued a stark warning that it will withdraw its peacekeeping forces from Somalia unless a dispute over its troop allocation for the new African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) is resolved by December 31.
The mission, set to replace ATMIS in January, is slated to consist of 12,600 troops, with Burundi receiving a contentious allocation of 1,041. The Burundian government has expressed its dissatisfaction with this number, deeming it both inadequate and disrespectful.
In a statement to VOA Somali’s Harun Maruf, a senior Burundian diplomat did not mince words, accusing Somali officials of disregarding Burundi by assigning a figure that jeopardizes the safety of its troops.
“The Somalis officials disrespected us by allocating numbers that would’ve exposed our soldiers. Ungrateful can’t capture enough the sentiments of Burundians towards Somalis. Well done!,” a Burundian diplomat said according to journalist Harun Maruf with VOA Somali.
“Unless something changes between now and 31st December we will go home. We are not dying to stay. We were disrespected and deserve an apology” the Burundian diplomat added.
Burundi’s contributions to Somalia’s peacekeeping efforts have been extensive, with the country having lost thousands of soldiers over the course of more than a decade in the fight against Al-Shabaab. Now, it feels that its sacrifices have been disregarded by the Somali government, which Burundi believes has failed to recognize the blood spilled in the effort to stabilize the Horn of Africa country.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia, another long-standing participant in African Union peacekeeping missions in Somalia, is also uncertain about its involvement in AUSSOM. Conflicting reports from Somali officials suggest that while some claim troop allocations have already been finalized—excluding Ethiopia—others maintain that decisions have yet to be reached.
As the deadline looms, the unresolved disputes over troop contributions are casting a shadow over AUSSOM’s success and its potential to maintain peace in Somalia. With Burundi and Ethiopia both questioning their participation, the future of the mission hangs in the balance.
